2. Contact Info

3. Dealer Selection

After the Golf won our coveted 2015 Car of the Year trophy, we were presented with a tough, albeit enviable, decision: Pick a long-termer, any variant configured with as many options as our hearts desired. As much as we loved the 170-hp TSI and the 45-mpg-highway TDI (glad we didn’t go that route), and as eager as we were to wait for a 292-hp R, we had to go with the most desirable choice at the time. Which left the GTI. I know, woe is us.

Opting for the slightly more powerful Performance package (plus 10 hp, limited-slip diff, and Golf R brakes) would’ve meant months of delay, so we went with a standard 210-hp GTI in Autobahn spec, the top-level trim that adds a 12-way power driver seat, 6.5-inch touchscreen navigation, and dual-zone automatic climate control. We also checked boxes for the $1,100 six-speed, dual-clutch automatic, the $995 Lighting package (bi-xenon headlamps with adaptive front-lighting system), and the $695 Driver Assistance package (front and rear parking sensors, forward collision warning). All said, our four-door Tornado Red GTI came in at $33,205.

The cabin gets even better for 2016 thanks to standard Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a USB input. The last is especially useful; we had to adopt a plug-in adapter with a USB slot.

The break-in period for the GTI’s EA888 2.0-liter turbo is 1,000 miles. So at around 1,001 miles we took the GTI to the test track. There, on a warm, sunny Fontana day, the GTI put down impressive numbers: 0 to 60 mph in 6.1 seconds, quarter mile in 14.7 seconds at 96.9 mph, 60 to 0 braking in 105 feet, figure eight in 25.7 seconds, and average lateral acceleration of 0.93 g. Our long-term 2012 BMW 328i, with a 240-horsepower 2.0-liter turbo, was quicker to 60 (5.5 seconds) and the quarter (14.1 seconds at 98.2 mph) but couldn’t match the GTI in braking (113 feet), figure eight (26.3 seconds), or average lateral accel (0.89 g). And back in ’12, that Bimmer listed for $50,845. Easy to see why the GTI-led Golf lineup won our 2015 COTY.

During its 27,115-mile stay with us, the GTI required just two maintenance visits (the third would’ve come at around 30,000). Both included an oil change, inspection, and tire rotation, the first one covered under VW‘s one-year 10,000-mile maintenance plan. The second stop, which also incorporated a cabin air filter, set us back $184.87. Our long-term 2014 Mazda3 S GT hatchback racked up a bill of $162.55 (two oil changes, tire rotations, and inspections) over 21,726 miles, and our long-term 2015 WRX STI cost us $0 (four oil changes and inspections, two tire rotations) through 26,359 miles thanks to Subaru‘s complimentary maintenance for the life of the basic warranty.

The GTI garnered praise from our staffers from the get-go. Its original chaperone, Rory Jurnecka, who’s now at our sister pub Automobile, gushed over the GTI’s utility, which he noted was able to accommodate his family of five during Thanksgiving, not to mention a 6-foot vintage sign from an old Fiat dealer showroom.

The $995 Lighting package adds an adaptive system that swivels the bi-xenon headlights.

Visual assets manager Brian Vance took over the GTI and spent the next several months behind the wheel. It didn’t take long for him to applaud the GTI’s subtle attributes. “The rear hatch will open and unlock with the keyless fob, and assuming you don’t access any other door, the car gives a reassuring horn beep when you close the rear hatch to let you know that it’s still armed with the factory alarm,” he wrote. “The GTI’s multifunction sport steering wheel features one of my favorite items in the car. On the left spoke, a plus/minus toggle allows for 5-mph incremental bumps in cruise control speed, and a separate up/down toggle allows for more traditional 1-mph bumps.”

“Our GTI didn’t have the Performance package, but for $1,495, it’s a deal worth taking (less for the power, more for the brakes).”

Me? I appreciated the GTI’s turbo punch, especially when entering the highway or exiting a tight turn on a mountain road. I also enjoyed its 26.6-mpg observed fuel economy; that my kids (and their booster seats and toys) fit comfortably in the back seat; the utility of having a cargo-friendly hatchback, certainly one with fold-down rear seats; the large front-door pockets with integrated cupholders that can fit a 1-liter bottle; the easy-to-use infotainment/nav system, whose real-time traffic updates and auto rerouting never steered me wrong; and the sublime feel of the helm in Normal mode, which makes a case for losing the numb Sport-mode steering.

The list of nitpicks is a small one. Jurnecka experienced a loose door hinge bolt that prompted an annoying creak. A wrench and one minute of tightening fixed the problem. Our long-term Mazda3 experienced one issue, as well—outage of the infotainment system—which the dealer remedied via a software update. Meanwhile, the STI suffered from two gremlins—a faulty fuel regulator and rear differential gasket—during its tenure. Vance felt the side mirrors were too small, creating unwelcome blind spots. For 2016, the Driver Assistance package (now up to $1,495) includes a blind-spot monitor with rear traffic alert and lane-departure warning.

My only grumbles had to do with features and aesthetics. Although I liked the leather seats, every time I got in, I yearned for the plaid cloth buckets from the base S. But they can’t be had on the Autobahn, the only trim with car-based navigation, or even the mid-level SE. Further, both the SE and Autobahn come standard with a panoramic sunroof. I’ve never found use in a sunroof, and I certainly don’t want one adding weight to the roof of my performance car. I’d suggest a new trim that ditches the sunroof but includes navigation and plaid seats. Build that, VW, and I’d fork out my own money for a personal long-termer.

Fair Market Price

0-60 MPH

EPA MPG

Horsepower

Fair Market Price

Fair Market Price is the price a consumer can reasonably expect to
pay for a new vehicle at a dealership at the end of negotiations, and
includes destination charges, taxes and fees. The actual transaction
price will be dependent on innumerable variables, from the
dealer’s inventory to the buyer’s bargaining skills, so
this figure is an approximation.

2015 Volkswagen GTI News and Reviews

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At 23,302 miles, the GTI’s driver information display informed me that the key fob battery was about out of juice. I perused the owner’s manual and followed the simple instructions—snap off fob lid, insert fresh CR2025 battery, secure lid. Per the manual, VW recommends that owners visit a dealer to have this remedied. Huh? Turns out, the battery is covered…

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Fair Market Price

0-60 MPH

EPA MPG

Horsepower

Fair Market Price

Fair Market Price is the price a consumer can reasonably expect to
pay for a new vehicle at a dealership at the end of negotiations, and
includes destination charges, taxes and fees. The actual transaction
price will be dependent on innumerable variables, from the
dealer’s inventory to the buyer’s bargaining skills, so
this figure is an approximation.